Sword-Wielding Suspect Shot By Deputy At Torres High School

LOS ANGELES, CA — A sword-wielding suspect is dead following a deputy-involved shooting at Esteban Torres High School in East Los Angeles Wednesday morning. A Los Angeles Sheriff's Department deputy was chasing a suspect carrying a three-foot sword and shot and killed the man after he climbed a fence and ran onto the campus.

According to the sheriff's office, the man refused orders to drop the weapon and advanced toward one of the deputies, leading to the shooting. School police say students were in class at the time, but counselors will be made available to any students or staff who may have witnessed or heard the shooting.

Authorities have not identified the suspect.

Sheriff's officials said the suspect had a restraining order against him when they were called.

"At one point, the deputies gave chase to the suspect, and the chase ultimately ended up on the property of Esteban Torres High School," sheriff's Lt. Brandon Dean said at a news conference early Wednesday afternoon near the campus.

Dean said the chase led to the lunch area, where deputies "gave the suspect several orders to drop the sword."

"However, at one point the suspect advanced on one of the deputies -- wielding the sword in the air -- and a deputy-involved shooting occurred," Dean said.

Only one deputy fired, he said.

No students or school staffers were targeted or threatened by the suspect, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said, and the school went into an immediate lockdown.

"There was no harm to any of the students," Villanueva said. "They are all safe and sound."

Los Angeles School Police Chief Steve Zipperman said students were in class at the time, but counselors were being made available to any students or staff who may have witnessed or heard the shooting.

Sheriff's officials said the suspect had no connection to the school.

Paramedics sent to Cesar Chavez and Marianna avenues at 9:12 a.m. pronounced the suspect dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Los Angeles School Police have tweeted: "All students and staff are safe. We want to assure our LAUSD community that we do not have an active shooter threat. At this time, Torres High School continues to be on lockdown. The neighboring schools are not affected and are operating within normal school operations."

There have been no reports of any injuries to deputies.

City News Service contributed to this report.